Geoffrey McKinnon was the kind of man who would open the door to his home to anyone, his mother said.

But nearly four years ago, he opened it for the worst possible person, she said.

That person, Daniel Gonzalez, killed McKinnon at McKinnon’s 307A Grant St., Framingham, apartment on June 14, 2009, a Middlesex Superior Court jury decided Thursday. After nine and a half hours of deliberations over two days, the jury convicted Gonzalez of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of McKinnon, 22.

"My son opened the door and let the devil in that night," mother Bonita McKinnon said outside the courtroom following the verdict.

Earlier, Bonita McKinnon had told Judge Kathe Tuttman that Gonzalez deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars "like a wild animal" while angrily condemning her son's killer.

"I know I will be able to see my son again someday, but thank God, Geoffrey will never see your face again because where Geoff is you will never be welcome," she said.

The jury of eight men and four women had the option of finding Gonzalez guilty of the more serious charge of first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the chance of parole.

Second-degree murder carries a life sentence but with parole eligibility after 15 years.

Bonita McKinnon said the verdict was just.

"I was elated," she said. "He got the title ‘murderer', which he deserves. It’s a bittersweet feeling and I finally feel like justice is served. I’ve not been able to move on with my life. It’s been terribly stressful for our family, but we’re a strong family and we stick together."

Gonzalez did not react to the jury's verdict. His family sat quietly, while crying members of McKinnon’s family hugged in the courtroom.

The jury had heard eight days of testimony from 20 witnesses and examined more than 100 pieces of evidence. Authorities said Gonzalez punched McKinnon, knocking him out around 4 that morning. He then stabbed McKinnon twice in the stomach, and slashed his face with the knife.

Kayla McKinnon, Geoffrey McKinnon’s younger sister, told the judge how his death shattered her life.

Because of the "evil actions of Mr. Gonzalez" she is now an only child, she said.

Although in the eyes of the court, Geoffrey McKinnon was Gonzalez’s only victim, "In my mind, he’s (Gonzalez) is responsible for so many more people. He took away a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a friend and future grandchildren for my mother. When I have children, they will never know their uncle. I no longer have a brother, but at least I know I have an angel watching over me."

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Along with the murder conviction, the jury also convicted Gonzalez of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecutor Joseph Gentile asked Tuttman to sentence Gonzalez to 15 years of probation to start if and when Gonzalez is released from prison. He cited Gonzalez’s criminal record, which includes several assaults. While being held without bail in the murder case, Gonzalez was convicted of attacking a prison guard.

Gonzalez had little to say.

"I’m sorry for what happened," he said.

Gonzalez's lawyer, Eduardo Masferrer, said his client is "troubled" and is being treated for bipolar disorder. With proper medication, Gonzalez has shown improvement while in custody, he said.

Gonzalez is also sad about what happened, and said the tears he shed while confessing to police the day of the stabbing were real.

"He was genuinely remorseful for killing a friend of his, someone who did not deserve to die," Masferrer said.

Masferrer asked for three years of probation for the assault and battery charge. Tuttman sentenced Gonzalez to 10 years of probation, banned him from drinking alcohol or doing drugs during that time and ordered him to stay away from McKinnon’s family and witnesses in the case.

Tuttman also ruled that Gonzalez will not get any time served for the time he served for assaulting the prison guard – approximately two of the nearly four years he has been in custody.

After the verdict, Masferrer said he thought the jury was presented enough evidence for the lesser charge of manslaughter.

"I don’t think Mr. Gonzalez intended to kill Mr. McKinnon," he said.

Gonzalez was to start his sentence at MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole on Thursday.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date crime news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter at @Norman_MillerMW.